One Night
by crbrgmi
Summary: One night was all it took for him to realize that she was his perfect match. A 3 chapter short story about how our beloved fire dragon slayer came into existence. Rated for a reason!
1. The Build-Up

**AN: So, I've been juggling with this one for awhile, but I didn't want to commit to anything long and descriptive, so this is going to just be a really short one, and hopefully I'll finally be satisfied with having it written down and out for the world to see**.

~.~

He had lived his days carefree. He wasn't one to settle in any one place, and he was always looking for trouble wherever he would go. He wasn't an angry male, just bored with how life had turned out, and wanted nothing more than set a fire to the peaceful world around him. He laughed as he received another hard punch to his right cheek, making him stumble into the wall behind him. It looked like he was losing the fight, and people around him started changing their bets.

The bigger man in front of him charged at him, with every intent of tackling him through the wooden wall, probably seriously injuring the both of them, but the smaller of the two managed to quickly sidestep out of the way, causing the man to headbutt the wood, denting it and send small wood chips spraying around him.

He laughed as the big oaf turned to face him and had a large gash on his forehead. The dumb giant growled at his opponent's gleeful nature, wanting to pound his face in until the only funny thing would be how he would still be alive.

Our hero sidestepped his opponent again, but was able to knee him in the groin, causing the bigger man to cry out and fall to the ground, holding his private areas. Cheers sounded around them, and the giant began receiving blow after blow to his face, blood spraying from his broken nose, his eye quickly closing.

With one final blow to the jaw, the giant of a man fell back in a lifeless heap, though everyone knew he was only knocked out. Cheers erupted in the small fighting arena as the referee threw the winner's hand in the air.

"The challenger has defeated the champion!" a man called from the safety of his announcer's booth. "Edolas welcomes its new fighting champ, Igneel!"

The crowd cheered again as Igneel smiled at his adoring fans. Underground fighting was his absolute favorite pastime, and he wouldn't trade it for the world. It was the only time he was actually liked, when his opponent was laying on the ground, bloodied and unconscious, and his pockets growing fatter with the winnings he'd receive. He had no real use for the currency, since he was a wanderer, but he would happily accept the money and take it to the nearest pub to spend it to his liking.

An hour after his victorious fight, Igneel found himself walking down the quiet streets of whatever hick town this was, looking for the nearest bar. The cool spring air chilled his bones, and he knew he had to find someplace quick before he caught pneumonia. He hated all the seasons, except summer. He hated the cold, and lived for the warmth. After finding out that his body was weak in cold weather, he'd started travelling wherever the warm weather went. This town was only a quick stop in his traveling, but he knew the days would quickly grow warmer if he wanted to stay.

He never stayed anywhere for too long, though, always growing bored with the same, dull, human routine. He was a wanderer, so he wasn't susceptible to the daily life of the common man. Unlike the people of the fighting crowd he had just left, he wasn't secretly looking for a thrill to escape the daily life - he lived for the danger of thrills, it was in his nature.

Finally, he heard the sounds of merriment coming from an establishment not far from where he walked, and he quickened his pace. He had to get out of the cold, and fast. He could already feel the chills coming, and he knew it wasn't from his injuries from his fight - those had already disappeared long ago.

He rushed into the building, immediately becoming warm. He stood in the doorway for a few seconds, drinking in the warmth of the energy of everyone around him, laughing and having a good time, no one paying him any mind. After he felt his bones free of the chill, he made his way to the bar, and ordered a glass of fire whiskey. The bartender gave him his drink, and left him alone to flirt with a group of giggling girls down the opposite end of the bar from where he sat.

Igneel studied them for a moment, probably going to spend the night with one of them, but not before starting some sort rumble with one of the drunken idiots he decided he disliked in a moments notice.

Again, it was his same routine, and, he began to realize, that he had allowed himself to become subject to life's cruel ways. He downed his drink and ordered another. The bartender glanced at him and nodded his acknowledgment, but, instead of getting him a drink himself, he called someone from the back room to come out and help.

Almost as soon as the man called the woman out, the sweet scent of sugar and roses filled his nostrils as he took in a deep breath.

Igneel's breath caught in his throat as he watched the woman appear from the kitchen. She was small, a little shorter than most of the women he'd been with, but he wasn't picky about size. She was drop dead beautiful. He watched her closely as her soft hands grabbed his empty glass from his large, rough hands. He couldn't help but admire her back side when she turned from him to grab the bottle of fire whiskey, and gawked at her rosy pink hair, which must be the source of the rose and sugar smell. Not many people he'd seen on his travels had that shade of hair, and he found himself reaching, wanting to touch it, wondering if it felt as soft as the petal of a rose that matched her hair. He quickly drew his hand back when she turned back to him and handed him a glass, finally raising her eyes to him. He took a sip of his drink, not once breaking eye contact with those lovely blue irises. Her skin was so pale, she almost looked like a ghost in the darker ambience of the bar.

She wore the normal maid's dress - a corset tight around her torso, pushing her chest high and making her cleavage very attention grabbing, which was over a short sleeved black bodice, and a black skirt that flowed to the floor. He found himself smirking at her, wanting her to know his intentions. This was the one he wanted to bed that night, and he was going to have her, if he had to burn down the entire village to get her.

"Good evening," he said, his voice low and husky, his arousal already prominent and making his pants uncomfortable.

He knew was a handsome male, for many women had told him so already. His hair was dark red, with a few strands of orange strategically placed by nature to give his hair the look of being on fire. His eyes were naturally onyx colored, his skin tanned from natural heat and being out in the sun so often. He was well toned, but not too overshadowed in muscle, and he wasn't lacking in the manhood department either. He knew how to please a woman, and the image of this one laying under him, moaning and squealing his name caused a low growl to form deep in his chest. If she heard it or not, she didn't give any indication as she nodded her greeting to him.

"Good evening, sir," she said, softly. He suppressed a moan upon hearing her voice, so silky smooth it felt like it was coating him in liquid gold. The way her mouth moved while pronouncing each syllable with such a care like each word was a child and had to be treated with tender loving care. "Can I get you anything else?"

He glanced down at her hands that were folded on the countertop in front of him. No ring. That's the first good sign. He lazily brought his eyes back up to her face. He could hear her heartbeat pounding in her chest - behind those wonderful mounds of joy - and he knew he was having the same affect on her as she was him, though if he were an outsider looking at her features on her beautiful face, he would say she was calmer than an untouched river.

He downed his drink again, and pushed the glass toward her, silently asking for a refill. When she grabbed the glass, he quickly placed his hand over hers, holding her there in front of him. Her skin was as soft as it looked, and he couldn't help moving his hand slowly up her wrist, to gently caressing her arm. She blushed, which he found incredibly cute, and watched his hand move in slow circles on her arm just below her elbow. He looked down and marvelled at the clash of colors of their skin, his golden tan making her skin seem even paler under his touch, and he could feel her gooseflesh rising under his soft touch. Her lips parted slightly when a silent gasp escaped when he gently touched the crook of her elbow. He smiled, and gently pulled on her, making her lean toward him. His lips met hers in a gentle touch, testing the waters. Was she the type of girl who liked it soft? Or was she a vixen who wanted it to be hard and rough?

She whimpered slightly as his hand moved up her arm, grasping her tightly, but not too tight to frighten her away. She leaned into him as his tongue grazed her lower lip, requesting entrance. It took him a few tries, but she finally opened up to him, allowing his tongue entrance to her delectable mouth, slowly exploring her mouth until he found her tongue, laying in wait for him to conquer it.

"Mila! Get back to work!"

_Mmm, Mila, huh?_

The girl quickly pulled away from him, her cheeks flushed from both arousal and embarrassment for having allowed this stranger to push past her walls and go for the kill. As she pulled away, however, she heard a low growl emanating from the man's chest, and he turned to glare at the bartender, still standing clear across the room with the group of women. His eyes seemed to burn like black fire as he willed the man to say anything more to them. Turning back to her, Igneel put his hand in his pants pocket and produced a large bag of coin that he dropped on the counter.

She looked down at the bag of money before her eyes widened in surprise and insult. "Are you trying to buy me, sir?" she asked him.

He chuckled, but shook his head. "I'm giving him my bar tab that I would have ended up having to pay at the end of the night whether you leave with me right now or not." He pulled her in for another kiss, not being able to escape her scent and her taste. He kissed her slightly harder this time, not waiting for her to allow him access to her mouth, but taking back what he had previously claimed as his a few moments ago before they were so rudely interrupted.

He had never tasted anything as sweet as her. She tasted more delectable than the roses and sweet sugar of her scent. Normally he'd shy away from floral scents, most of them being too overpowering, but hers seemed a little faint, not too strong, like it was part of her natural smell instead of a perfume like most women used. What they tried and failed in, she succeeded.

The only thing he could compare her to was sweet rose water, a drink he had tried only once, and fell in love with instantly. He had yet found another place that served it, until he met the woman who was practically dripping in it. He couldn't get enough of it.

"Hey, pal, if you're going to do that, at least get a room or something." The bartender had bravely made his way to the pair, bringing another quiet growl from Igneel, but the male smiled at the bartender.

"That seems like a fine idea," he breathed out.

"There's a hotel across the street if you want to go there." The smaller man seemed a little intimidated by Igneel's sudden size and death glare he gave the man, having twice now interrupted them.

Standing from his stool, Igneel couldn't bring himself to let go of Mila's hand, and, upon further inspection that there was no place for her to escape from the confines of behind the counter, he leaned over, put his arms under hers, grabbed her tightly, and picked her up, effortlessly pulling her over the counter. She squeaked as she had to crawl over the counter so he didn't just pull her like a rag doll, and she found herself unable to move as soon as he finally had her fully in his arms, pressed up against his body. She had to look up into his eyes, and both parties feeling their arousal growing in anticipation now that they had finally gotten past the barrier keeping them apart.

Igneel pulled her out of the bar, managing to avoid hitting any of the other patrons while he kept his eyes on her the entire time. The cold air blasted him as soon as they were outside, and he cursed under his breath, finally able to break his gaze on her and focus on getting to the hotel across the road.

~.~

**AN: Please review/follow/fave and I'll get the next installation up asap. :3**


	2. The Lemon

It was quick work of getting into the hotel lobby, paying for a room, and making their way to his room without problem. The only thing he worried about in the back of his mind was disturbing the other guests with the screams his woman was about cry out. He smirked at the thought, as he opened the door to his room. The whole population was going to know that Igneel was in town, just like every other place he'd been to.

That thought made him hesitate. He was doing exactly the same thing he'd always done before, but as soon as he looked at the small woman slowly and shyly making her way to the bed, he suddenly felt like an asshole, like he had cheated her. He didn't know why this feeling came about - he'd never met this woman before in his life, and, from the way she was acting, he knew this wasn't her first time. So why did he feel so guilty for having so many women before her? Why was he angry jealous at the thought of the men she had been with before him?

She had sauntered her way to the bed, slowly undoing the tie that held her corset together in the front. By the time she turned to face the man (she suddenly realized she didn't even know his name!), she let the constricting fabric fall to the floor, taking a deep breath, finally able to breathe properly.

Igneel groaned as he watched her, unable to stay away from her any longer now that they were in the privacy behind the closed door. Neither of them had bothered with a light as he took two long strides and pulled her into another crushing kiss, putting his hands on either side of her face. She allowed herself to moan out loud this time as he took control over her mouth again. She clutched his shirt tightly, and he moved his hands down her body, massaging her as he went along. He gently pushed her back until her legs bumped against the bed.

Igneel gently growled as his hands lifted her shirt, wasting no time in cupping her full breasts in his hands, each one fitting his hands perfectly as if they were sculpted especially for him. She pulled away from the kiss and gasped as he squeezed and pulled, immediately followed by gentle massages. She could feel the heat from his hands gently warming her body, and she suddenly became really comfortable in his arms. She leaned into his body, wrapping her arms around his neck, nuzzling her nose against the scratchy stubble that had formed on his chin and traveled down his neck. He smelled of fire, but not the threatening kind. She closed her eyes and imagined herself sitting next to a hearth, the fire blazing, keeping her warm in the midst of a freezing blizzard. She sought comfort in it, and allowed herself to be wrapped up in it.

She moaned in his ear as he started pulling her shirt up, her breasts falling free of the fabric. She pulled away only long enough for the shirt to be pulled over her head, but immediately went back to how she was before; her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers playing with his oddly colored hair, her nose nuzzling him. She felt like she'd belonged there, like she'd always been in his arms, though she knows she never met this man before. She was subconsciously pulled to him as he was to her, and she knew she should worry about where this meeting would take them, but neither of them cared at the moment.

He dipped his head and took her breast into his mouth, sucking lightly until he heard her gasp and tightened her hold on his hair. His hands rested on her hips, and he pulled her even tighter against him, allowing her to feel how she was affecting him. He wrapped an arm around her back as he moved to the other breast, his other hand massaging the one he just left.

She moaned as she felt her knees go weak from his tongue making circles around her hardened nipple. She grabbed onto his shoulders, afraid that she might fall. He captured her mouth against his again as he lowered her onto the bed. He rested on his elbows, and his hands finally found their way to her hair. It was softer than he had previously thought, and found he couldn't let her go. Softer than silk, her hair gently fell through his fingers. He caught a strand before it fell from his grasp, and pulled away from the kiss only to bring the strand to his mouth, inhaling her sugary rose scent. She blushed up at him, not having experienced anyone become obsessed with her hair like he seemed to be in that second.

"Who are you?" she breathed. It couldn't be mere coincidence they fit together so well. Everything he did just felt right, and they hadn't even gotten to the reason why they were both in that room in the first place.

He chuckled softly bringing the hair back down, and tucked it behind her ear. Normally, names wouldn't matter. How many women had he been with in the past who could really care less about his name, and vice versa? With this woman, the moment he heard her name, it was the most perfect sound in the world, and he loved how it sounded in his mind as he repeated it over and over.

She smiled at him, and gently ran her nails on his scalp, creating a low growl, almost a purr, rise from his chest as his eyes fluttered closed.

"Are you not going to tell me, sir?"

He opened his eyes and looked down at her. "Would knowing my name cause you to rethink your actions thus far?" he asked, a small smile playing at the edges of his lips.

"Probably not," she said. She pulled his head down and brought her lips to his ear as she whispered. "But I would like to know whose name to call out later."

"Igneel," he ground out immediately. His teeth clenched, and he didn't mean to growl at her, but the way she whispered that statement made him almost release in his pants right then and there. He heard her laughed quietly.

"Igneel," she whispered in his ear.

He moaned as his nose nuzzled her hair on the pillow. "Mila."

She whimpered and he pressed his hips into her, wishing he could disintegrate their clothes off so he could finally push himself into her. He felt her hands dip under his arms, and she grabbed at his shirt, wanting to feel more of his skin. She pulled the button up shirt from where it was tucked in his pants and she immediately placed her palms on his muscled back. She wondered if his warmth was something that was a part of him, or was it just because of the moment? He wasn't feverish, so she wasn't concerned; she loved the way his skin warmed against hers, almost as if on will.

He shuddered as her fingernails gently created patterns on his back, and he pulled off her. He had to get his shirt off, but those pesky buttons were in his way. He made quick work of this shirt, pulling it open, a couple of buttons flying off, bouncing off the wall. She giggled as he did this - in her mind she imagined him saying something along the lines of, "Me, big man! Me take woman, now!" She laughed harder as she ran her hands up his muscled chest, the skin strangely rough to her touch. He didn't seem to have any hair on his chest, but she didn't mind it at all. She gently rubbed her palms over his hardened pecks, shuddering as she realized he was nothing but pure muscle. He leaned down until his chest just barely touched hers. He moved to kiss her again as he moved his upper body, both of them revelling in the feel of his chest rubbing against her breasts, both suddenly almost feverish at the sudden contact. He was creating sparks that coursed through her, and she felt her womanhood becoming even more moist than she had been before. She wanted to wrap her legs around him, but she cursed the irritating barrier her skirt created. Why was she wearing something so troublesome anyway? Oh yeah, she was working until just a few moments ago.

Igneel quickly tossed his torn shirt to the side, and he started massaging her breasts again. He moved his kisses to trail down her jaw, to gently suck and nip at the sensitive area of her neck. She moaned and arched her back into him, creating another low growl to reverberate from deep in his chest and he captured her breast in his heated mouth again. He swirled his tongue around the hardened peak, and gently grazed his teeth over it. She gasped as electric shocks of pleasure shot down her body, curling her toes. He moved to the other breast, giving it the same ministrations.

He let a hand gently run down down her body, creating more goosebumps in his wake, and his fingers played with the hem of her skirt. He could barely wait to make his way down to her most precious kept treasure, and only he was allowed access to it. Never mind the number of men whom she probably already allowed down there, he was the only she was giving access to it now, and he would never let another man go anywhere near it.

He blinked for a moment, wondering what exactly made him think that, just because they were together tonight, how the hell did that mean she was his and his forever? Oh, that thought brought another growl of approval from his chest, and he made his way down her stomach, gently placing kisses and biting her skin as he made his down. He seemed okay with that thought for now. She was his, and, at this moment, she was going to be his forever. They'll cross the after-sex part when it comes around.

But, for now, she was the one writhing under him as he gently pulled her skirt down, as he gently licked her perfectly pale flesh, as he revealed that beautiful area that her scent was the most prominent. He gently kissed the insides of her thighs, revelling in the overpowering scent of sugar and roses, and he loved it. He couldn't help himself any longer; he gently licked her slit, almost coming, again, from just her natural self. The taste of her nothing like he had tasted before, even that rose water he had tasted before was nothing compared to this. He made quick work of her, unable to stop himself from licking her up and down. As soon as she ran a little dry, he licked her sensitive spot, instantly creating more of her natural cream to flow from her body.

She gasped and moaned at the way his tongue worked on her. She grasped the blanket tightly, feeling her climax quickly growing. She had never gone over the edge with anyone so quickly, and she was almost nervous at what he would think of her releasing so quickly. He groaned, slowing his tongue work on her, almost embarrassed with losing control like he did. She breathed heavily as the orgasm that was threatening to peak gently subsided for the moment, and she was both thankful and frustrated that he had to slow down just mere seconds before she came apart on him. She released the blanket from her grasp, and allowed herself to relax. He pushed his tongue inside her, audibly moaning at the feel of her insides, her walls clenching on his tongue. He began moving in and out, imagining that it was dick penetrating her, and not just his tongue. He brought his hand up and used his thumb to rub circles around her clit, feeling the pressure from her body rising. He wanted her to release on him, wanting to taste every bit of her sweetness.

She grasped his hair as she felt her previously subsided orgasm come crashing into her in full swing. "Oh, Igneel!" she gasped. She arched off the bed, her eyes staring at Igneel, taking in everything that she was letting out, not wanting a single drop to fall onto the bed. He licked and sucked as she slowly calmed, laying back down on the bed, but her sensitive nerves still twitched under him, and he smiled as he pushed himself up, gazing up at her. The sight of her coming down from her climax was pure magic, and he couldn't wait to see her coming undone while underneath him. He bent down and started kissing his way up her stomach, her essence seeming to flow from her pores, and couldn't get enough.

He took no time in removing his own pants, making little work of his belt and he settled himself over her. She lazily wrapped her arms around his neck again and gave him a chaste kiss, humming happily. She gently rubbed her nose against his like a sated cat.

Igneel pulled up from her, satisfied with her reaction, and decided that he couldn't wait any longer. His inner beast was pushing its way out when it saw her smile lazily up at him, and he felt he needed to lay his claim on her as soon as possible. He leaned down and gently rolled his tongue around her nipple as he situated the tip of his dick at her entrance. She groaned and spread her legs farther for him, allowing him entry.

He kept his eyes on her face as he slowly entered her, knowing full well that she wasn't a virgin by any means, but the look on her face told him that his size was something she had to experience. That egotistical part of him reared its big head forward when he realized that he was the one who was going to give her the experience she'd been waiting for. As he slowly pushed himself in, he noted how perfectly she fit around him. He groaned and picked his head up, pulling out, then pushing back in.

She gasped at the pressure between her legs, but it was a welcome feeling. She breathed deeply, relaxing her muscles so she could accommodate more of him.

"Oh my god," he ground out as he steadily picked up the pace. Her walls clenched against his member, and his pace quickened still.

As he started pounding into her, images flashed in his mind, all pictures of Mila. He had never seen this woman before, but there was the hope that this wouldn't be the last time he saw her, but the images he saw in that moment did concern him slightly. He saw her smiling at him, laughing with him.

She gasped his name, bringing him back to the moment. He didn't know her, but the beast inside him seemed to. He wasn't one to squash the beast down when it made its presence known - sure he was human now, but the dragon inside never left him. He could almost see the dragon sniffing the air around him, locking his eyes on the beauty underneath him.

_She's the one,_ it whispered. _Do it. There isn't much more time left, do it now._

Okay, so Igneel almost always listened to the beast when it told him to do something, but in that moment, he refused it. He knew what it wanted, but he also had to look at this from a human standpoint. They were two people who just met for a casual fuck, and they'd part ways as soon as its over.

That thought almost made him freeze. Part ways? Well, yeah...Igneel knew his time was limited in Edolas, and the thought suddenly pained him. He slowed his pace, and pulled her up so she was in his lap, his arms wrapped her as he allowed her to set the pace.

She moved her hips slowly, calming down the fire between them. She gently ran her nails up and down his muscular chest, causing shivers to run through his body. He felt her shiver as she circled her hips. She pressed her lips against his, shoving her tongue into his mouth and battling for domination. He groaned at her sudden excitement, and didn't fight her at all as she pushed him down.

"Let's not rush this," she whispered against his lips. He wanted to speed the pace up, but he let her take over. He smirked in anticipation as she sat up straight, giving him a full view of her breasts and everything wonderfully perfect about this woman.

She thrust her hips against him, his head falling back at the sudden jolt his dick was feeling. She moved her hips up, pulling him out of her painfully slow, until just his tip was barely touching her entrance, before she dropped down onto him, causing a cry from both of their mouths to sound. She repeated this three more times before he growled in frustration. He could feel his release creeping up on him, and he could tell she was close as well. He grabbed her hips and made her quickly move up and down on him, thrusting his hips in perfect timing.

She called out his name as he moved her faster and faster, the sound of their bodies hitting each other seeming to echo off the walls. She leaned back, placing her hands on his thighs to allow a better angle. He took this opportunity to place his thumb on her clit and rubbed in quick circles, feeling her orgasm building again. She shuddered and cried out his name as she came again, but he didn't want to slow down to let her relax.

He pushed himself up and over so he was back on top of her. She barely had time to register what was happening before he resumed pounding into her. He grunted as he felt himself growing closer. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him, crashing his lips to hers another wave of pleasure hit her, just in time for Igneel's own release to hit him. They fell to the bed, he was careful to not crush her, and they caught their breaths. Sweat dripped down their bodies, intermingling and soaking the bedsheet beneath Mila.


	3. The Aftermath

He rolled off her, gently pulling out of her, and laid on his side, not able to take his eyes off her. The lazy smile she gave him made his stomach flutter, and not in a bad way. He couldn't recall a time he ever felt that sensation, and he suddenly became nervous as he thought that. What would she think of him if he were to tell her the whole truth? As far as she knew he was just a drifter who happened upon her bar and took her to bed. How would she react if he told her just who and what he actually was? Would she be terrified? Regret what happened?

Igneel closed his eyes and sat up. He didn't want her to regret what they did. At the same time he didn't feel right to not tell her. Again, that flutter in his stomach brought confusion. Why did he care? Normally, with the other girls - again that pang of guilt - he didn't care if they knew who he was, and most of the time he didn't tell them his name. Already she was getting more out of him than he was comfortable letting out.

He tensed slightly when he felt her wrap her arms around his waist.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, worry evident in her tone.

He could tell her now, and risk losing her forever...Or he could tell her later and enjoy spending the rest of the night with her. He looked down at her as she gently placed a kiss on his thigh. He smiled and chuckled softly.

"Not a damn thing," he mumbled before bending down to kiss her, planning on enjoying every second he had remaining with her.

~.~

'_It's time, dragon.'_

Igneel groaned and rolled over, putting his head under his pillow. No, not now. He still had to finish sleeping.

'_Get your ass up and meet me.'_

"Get bent," he growled.

A soft moan next to him caused his eyes to snap open. He sat up and stared down at the beauty next to him. Shit. She wasn't the one talking to him. She didn't know he was a dragon, so…

He quietly groaned again. No, not now! Not when he's finally found a reason to stay in this god forsaken land. How his counterpart could stand to live in this magic-less land confused him to no end - hell, that was the reason he was here in the first place, to sate his curiosity. He leaned back down and rubbed his nose against her neck, not wanting to leave. He'd force the other one to wait at least another day. He wanted to spend as much time as possible with the pink haired beauty next to him. He'd rather spend the rest of his life with her, but he'd settle for one more day.

'_Now, dragon. We don't have much time.'_

Looking up at the ceiling, he sighed. He knew he couldn't stay much longer. He stood up from the bed. His duty called. He had to say goodbye to this wondrous life of living with the woman he loved, and go back to his real being. As he walked around the room, gathering his clothes and other belongings he'd procured over the last month, he'd steal glances at Mila. Should he wake her? Should he tell her now, that he was about to leave her, possibly forever?

His stomach clenched at the thought. Well, he couldn't very well take her. How would she feel? First off, she'd be leaving her home, her own world, to join him in his world. Not only that, he'd back to his original self, and she wouldn't feel happy being with him, knowing they'd never be able to be together like they had.

It was the same argument he'd had in his head since the night he met her. The next day he had pretty much moved in to her home, neither of them worrying about his belongings - since he had none - and she lived alone. The first few days he was pretty sure they hadn't stepped foot outside her front door, but he made sure to utilize each and every room of her house, making love to her on every surface available.

He smiled as he stood over her sleeping form. He couldn't leave her like this….a note? Women loved notes. He looked around him for paper.

'_What the hell is taking so long?'_

"Shut up and give me a minute, moron." He smirked slightly as he could visualize his counterpart crossing his arms over his chest and huffing. Ah, the Edolas Igneel...always the more responsible one, the one who never took chances or second glances.

He stopped in the middle of writing his note. Would he be willing to watch over her for him? Probably, but he'd tell her the truth as soon as he met her. She'd probably hate Igneel as soon as she learned the truth from someone who looked like him, but wasn't him. Would she even let Edolas Igneel watch over her? He hoped so. It was killing him that he had to leave her. Knowing he'd have to leave her eventually was also the reason he didn't mark her, or, heaven forbid, mate with her. He wouldn't be able to leave Edolas, leaving Earthland in the hands of the other Igneel, which probably would spell disaster for the other world. Earthland needed its true fire dragon to rule the firelands, otherwise chaos would ensue and the world would probably be destroyed.

'_Let's go! I'm getting impatient. This anima will only last for so long.'_

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming."

He set his note on his pillow, and gave her a kiss, hoping she wouldn't wake up as he walked out the front door. Everything he wanted to tell her was on that note: who he really was, the difference between Earthland and Edolas, the difference between himself and his counterpart, and how sorry he was for leaving her. It would probably kill her, but it was something that couldn't be avoided.

He walked out of the town, and into the forest, the sun barely showing its rays behind the trees. The air was too cold for him, and he started to run to the meeting place, trying to keep his body warm. He ran for about fifteen minutes before he came upon a clearing, with a single man standing in the middle of it.

Igneel blinked as he joined his counterpart, the other Igneel looking like a mirror.

"Bout time you showed up," the other mumbled, keeping his eyes up at the sky. Igneel followed his counterpart's gaze, and sighed at the swirling magic of the anima above them. "Well, hurry up before it closes. You had your fun, now leave."

Igneel chuckled. "I take you enjoyed Earthland, then?"

"Such a wretched place, infested with humans who know nothing about magic. There's so much more for them to discover if they'd just open their eyes and let themselves see what they're missing."

"Actually it's our job to make sure they don't open their eyes." He shuddered as he remembered the Zeref fiasco. "Just be thankful they were at peace with each other."

"If you can even call that peace." The other Igneel sniffed at him and turned away. "Again, hurry your ass up before it closes. I can only keep it open for a little bit longer."

"Can I ask you a favor?"

Edolas Igneel groaned. "What the hell did you do? If I have to pay with my own money to fix any of your damages, Igneel, I swear I'll come to Earthland and kill you myself."

Igneel laughed and shook his head. He handed his counterpart a piece of paper. "There's an address on here. Could you just poke your head in every once in a while and make sure she's okay?"

Edolas Igneel grabbed the paper and sighed. "A woman. Even worse. Did you even do anything I asked you to?"

"Of course I did! For the first few weeks, and then I just wanted to live like a human. I didn't agree to a switch just so I could do your boring council work for you."

"Igneel, I'm an important -"

"I know. Just, please...every so often."

Igneel held his hand out to the other. Sure they didn't really get along - funny since they were almost the same person - but it was still an honor to be Edolas Igneel for a year. Not to mention he had met the woman of his life, even though he had to leave her.

Edolas Igneel took the offered hand and shook. "You didn't tell her, did you." It wasn't a question, and Igneel hung his head. "You idiot!"

"I couldn't!"

"So you want me to clean this mess up for you, is that it? I don't know why I'm surprised over this. Get the hell out of my sight before I close up the anima and leave you stuck here for who knows how long."

"Alright, I'm going." Igneel turned to the sky and felt the comforting sensation of magic surround him.

"I'll go see her."

Igneel turned back to his counterpart.

"I'll tell her what happened, let her know you love her, and I'll keep an eye on her."

Igneel nodded his thanks to the other before he was surrounded by a bright light. He felt himself being lifted into the air, and his body became heavier. Almost in an instant, Edolas was gone, and he found himself standing in his fiery atmosphere of the fire lands, his body suddenly much heavier than he was used to. He took in a deep breath through his elongated nose, breathing in the fire, and magic, of Earthland. He made a once over of his body, and was ecstatic to see that he was his old self again. He flexed his wings and took off to the air, planning on showing Earthland just how lucky it was to have had a break from their usual fire dragon.

~.~

Igneel munched on an animal carcass. He couldn't remember what kind of animal it was, but it tasted the same as any other, so it didn't really matter.

It had been almost a year since his vacation in Edolas, and not a moment passed that he didn't think of Mila. Once or twice he thought of searching for her Earthland counterpart, but thought against it. Earthland Mila wouldn't be anything like his Mila, except for her looks. He wanted the whole package; her smile, her scent, her voice...everything. Earthland Mila wouldn't have been able to give him that, and he was fine with it. More than once, though, he thought of trying to contact Edolas Igneel for another switch, but he never got around to it.

Okay, so he was terrified as well as excited to see her again. Imagine, Igneel, the great fire dragon, afraid of a measly human girl. He shrugged his reptilian shoulders resumed eating.

He was licking his claws when he heard the noise. It was a high shrill noise, and, as much as he tried to ignore it, it hurt his ears. Growling at the interruption, he stalked out of his cave and into the forest, intent on finding the irritating wail and putting whatever sad creature it was out of its misery.

The sound became louder as he stomped closer to it, but he froze as a familiar scent clouded his sinuses. It couldn't be….There's no way she'd be here, of all places. He was suddenly afraid of finding the noise. What if she was curious about him, and his counterpart decided to let her see him? She'd run away screaming if she saw him.

He wanted to run away, run far away and hide in the lands of the north - where he'd surely die from the cold - and never come out, but the sound drew him closer to the scent. The wailing was getting worse, and he couldn't help his heart beating as he realized what it was. But why was it in the middle of the forest?

He pushed a large tree out of his way, which seemed to scare the thing into silence as it stared up at him with dark eyes. Igneel felt his throat constrict. A human child? Why was it all alone in the forest? He sniffed the air around him, wondering if he should continue following the trail of Mila, or he should stop and help the human child. He made a step to walk away from the child, but a cooing noise stopped him. He didn't know why, but he was drawn toward it.

He bent down to get a closer look at the child. It smiled up at him, reaching its chubby arms out to touch him. Igneel froze. The child's hair - or what little fuzz that he could see - was pink.

"Mila?" he quietly growled in his dragon voice. He picked his head up and looked around again, but upon seeing no one, he went back down to the baby. The baby giggled and grabbed at his scales as he got really close to it. Normally children were afraid of him, but this baby was actually attached to him.

"His name is Natsu."

Igneel would have flinched if his heart wasn't melting at the presence of the baby. He smiled as he watched the human form of himself step out from behind a tree.

"What a feisty little brat," he growled, laying his massive body on the ground, allowing the baby to pet his nose.

"I'm assuming you know about him already?" The dragon ignored his counterpart.

"Why did you bring him here?"

"Because he's her child."

"Again, why is he _here_?"

"Because she isn't."

This statement caused Igneel to finally look at the human. He snorted, smoke billowing from his nostrils.

"I'm hoping you're talking about Earthland Mila." He could hear his voice crack and a growl quickly followed.

The human sat down next to the baby, picking him up and rocking him. "He's three months old, Igneel. She didn't want him raised without a proper parent, which is why she sent me here."

"Where is she?" He laid his head back down and let the baby poke him.

"She passed, Igneel. Last month."

Igneel whimpered, as close to crying as a dragon could get, but he refused to lose his shit in front of the child.

"Why would she think you would be safer with me?" he asked the baby, who drooled and giggled in response.

"Because he's your son, Igneel."

He knew. As soon as he laid eyes on the baby he knew that he was his son. "How am I going to take care of a human baby? You told her about me, right?"

"I told her everything. She was devastated when you left, but after I explained to her what happened, she calmed down. She never took on another mate, and she was upset. But as soon as she found out she was pregnant, I don't think I've ever seen her smile so much." He paused, letting the information sink in for the dragon. "She wanted you to raise him after I gave her the idea."

"And everyone says you're the smarter of the two of us. Oh how wrong they were….Whoever the hell 'they' are."

"I told her about the slayers."

Igneel moved his giant obsidian eyes to look at his counterpart. "You're a bastard, a liar, and wrong. I'm not doing that to this child."

"_Your_ child, Igneel. I think it'd be good for him. After all, he does have your blood in his veins. He's already halfway there and he's not even a year old yet. Most other slayers would be so lucky."

"I already swore that I wouldn't do that, to my own child or any other child. Not after…"

"The way I see it," the other Igneel began, conjuring a bottle for the baby to drink from, "training a slayer could help with the upcoming trouble Earthland will be facing. If anyone would be able to save the world from a dragon, wouldn't it be best if it were dragon slayers?"

Images of Zeref and Acnologia flashed in his mind again. The two were as destructive as anyone would imagine, and a single fire dragon slayer wouldn't be able to stop them.

"I've managed to put the idea in the other dragon's minds as well," his counterpart added, seeming to read Igneel's mind. "But the choice is yours. Metalicana has already found his slayer. As well as the shadow and light dragons. If my plan works, it would need the involvement of everyone."

Igneel sighed. He couldn't fight against himself, especially when the human version made so much sense. But...Mila…

"How did she die?" he whispered.

"A sickness. It spread through the town like a plague, and she wasn't immune to it. I was barely able to take Natsu out of there so he wouldn't get infected. Grandine tried to save her, but the virus spread too far for her recover."

Igneel finally felt the pain in his heart as he imagined Mila, alone in her bed, sick, calling out for him and her son. She had died alone, without him or her child with her. He felt large, hot tears travel down his scaley cheeks.

"Please take him, Igneel."

The large dragon sighed and picked his head up to his full height.

"Train the boy to fight the war against evil, and love him as both a mother and a father. Teach him the importance of family, knowing that he will always be loved, and he will never be alone."

Igneel looked down at the baby in his human counterpart's arms. Mila's baby; his baby. He smiled and chuckled, moving back down to nuzzle the baby again.

"I make a pretty damn handsome looking kid, don't I?" The dragon smiled. "He's going to break a lot of hearts, but the one he doesn't break will be the luckiest girl of all."

"You'll take him, then?"

"What kind of dragon would I be to leave a child parentless?"

The human nodded, and placed the baby in his basket, allowing Igneel to grab the basket with his mouth. He flexed his wings.

"Until we meet again, Igneel," the human bowed and disappeared in a flash of light.

Igneel flew back to his cave, promising himself and the baby Natsu that he would raise the boy to be a strong fighter, a gentle soul, and a love for family. He would train the boy to be the strongest dragon slayer around, that not even Acnologia and his slayer would be able to stand a chance against his son.

He smiled as he made a silent promise to the one woman he had loved with all his heart: Natsu will never know the feeling of being alone.

~.~

"Natsu?"

Nastu blinked out of his reverie, his vision clearing as his eyes settled on his partner. Lucy smiled at him, relieved to see him back.

"You were spacing out there for a minute. Are you okay?"

He smiled widely at her. "Of course! We're getting our family back! Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Natsu was drooling over Lucy's body," the little cat snickered, hovering over Natsu's head. "Natsu looooooves Lucy."

Lucy's cheeks flushed as she threw a rock at the exceed. "Can it, cat!" she yelled. She hoisted her bag over her shoulder and turned around in a huff, continuing on their walk, Natsu following, laughing quietly.

He hadn't thought about his dad in a while, and the realization had stopped him. After all, it was after seeing his dad that made him take a year off from Fairy Tail to train, to make himself stronger and make his dad proud of him.

In that moment, however, as he and his two best friends continued on their journey to bringing Fairy Tail back, he could feel his dad's happiness surround him, and a smaller, softer presence. He wasn't sure what it was, but he couldn't help but take a deep breath of the wind that blew passed them, a soft hint of sweet roses filling his senses.

~.~

**AN: Okay! let me know what you think? The story was just something that popped in my head when I thought about who Natsu's parents were. There really was no point in the story except for the lemon in chapter 2, but I planned to expand it, and this is what came out. I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see everyone in my other stories. Also, I'm really sorry for any mistakes...it's midnight, I'm super tired, but I wanted to get this finished.**


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